Furnace



Jan. 9, 1923. 1,441,493.

, v D. E. 'ERICKSON.

FURNACE.

FILED MAY 31, 1922. 3 SHEETS--SHEET D. E. ERICKSON.

Jan. 9, 1923.

FURNACE.

FILED MAY-'31,

3. S.HEETSSHEET 2.

l i w 0. E. ERICKSQON.

Jan.

FURNACE.

HLED MAYBI,

s SHEETS-SHEET 3 Patented Jan. 9, 1923.

PA l fi'l fli t DANIEL nlurn EurcKsoN, or LoNnoN,- ENGLAND.

FURNACE.

Application filed ma 31,

T 0 aZZ w h om it may concern Be it known that I, DANIEL'EMIL ERIOK- soN a citizen of the United States of Amerfor rendering them capable of conversion' fromcoal burning to oil -burning furnaces andvice versa as desired.

In order to-provide the necessary air lad mission'space andper'mit of mounting the oil burner centrally in the front of the furnaoe box or combustion'chamber it is usual to employ furnace fronts specially designed for the purpose although segmcntally assembled annular baflie plates or diaphragms have been employed. The chief object of the present invention is to' provide an improved annular ballle'pl'ate or diaphragm capable of being fixed in position in and removed without difficulty from furnaces of slightly different diameter without necessitating any special design of the front portion of the furnace or requiring any alteration of the ordinary designs, whilst ensuring a rigid airtight mounting of the baffle plate or diaphragm in the furnace proper notwithstanding slight irregularities or variations in diameter andwithoutprecluding the possibility of'expansion and contraction of the parts. p i

According to the present invention the baffle plate or diaphragm comprises an an.- nular assembly of plates adapted to co-op-' crate with means whereby relative angular movement between them causes the segments to automatically spread radially outwards thus causing their outside edges to engage more firmly on the seating or wall against which they bear. According to one construction this automatic spreading motion, of the'segments may conveniently be '0] tained by a cam action between the outer curved surface of a liningring and the inner curved surface of the central aperture' in the assembly of segments so'that an angular adjustment of the lining ring causes 'all'the segments to spreadequally' In order that the radially outward pressure may beauniformly distributed each segment may have two or more spaced cam surfaces on its inner periphery, a corresponding number of Iasfor eXample'Lancashire boilers.

1922. Serial N0 564,925.

' cam surfaces or projections being of course ioimed on the lining ring. The lmlng ring may itself be formed segmentally and of considerable width so as to constitute strictly speaking an 1nner supplementary plate or assembly of segmental plates, arid the cam action may be obtained by cam surfaces or pro ections formed actually on the edges of the plates or by similarly acting angularly movable means interposed between the two assemblies. In the preferred construction the aforesaid interposed means are constituted by the bolts employed to clampto gether. edge or cover plates provided adjacent the opposed edges of the'main or outer "assembly of diaphragm segments and the inner supplementary assembly.

In order to ensure a firm airtightseatmg or bearing between the outeredge or peripheral surface of the diaphragm and theint ernal surface of the furnace against WlllClf it is pressed I may lnterpose a packing'of yieldable material such as asbestos this material being held compressed in the annular space between the opposing surraces, and in orderto improve the effectiveness of the joint formed byithis packing and to ensure that it will 'remainin the best posslble position I may shapethe outer periphery of the segments to' retain the-pack mg in position. For this purpose I may form- 'thesaid periphery with a groove or with laterally offset flange forming a channel the said groove or channel serving to partly house the packing. 1 L

The above described radially expansible furnace diaphragm is particularly appli- 'cableto boilers in which tlie'furnace box has corrugated cylindrical wall as it can readily be fixed lIl POSlf lOll betweentwo of the forwardly disposed corrugations and readily removed therefrom; but it is obvi- 7 ously applicable. to other forms of furnace The invention will now be described more fully wlth reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate several practical embodiments of the invention.

Figure 1 isan axial. sectional elevation of the front part of a furnace equipped with an ordinary Howdendraft type of front and one of my improved bafie plates or diaphragms, and i Figure 2 is a fragmentary face view of a portion thereof. a

Figure 3 is an axial sectional elevation of the. front part of a furnace equipped with an ordinary Howden draft type of front and another constructional form of my improved diaphragm.

Figure 4C is a fragmentary face View of a portion of the diaphragm shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a face View,

Figure 6 a sectional view and Figure 7 an enlarged detail view of a further modified construction of the diaphragm.

In the drawings the furnace wall is indicated by the reference numeral 1 the an nular diaphragm segments by 2 and the lining ring by 3.

Referring first to the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2 it is seen that the inner periphery of the annular diaphragm is formed with cam surfaces 4; and theouter periphery of the lining ring with co -operating cam surfaces 5 in a peripheralgroo've G. The annular diaphragm is composed of segments having radial abutting flanges connected together by bolts passing through radially elongated slots in the flanges. It

will therefore be understood that angular movement of the ring 3 will cause the segments of the diaphragm 2 to spread outwards and become firmly seated at their outer periphery against the furnace, wall 1.

In order to ensure an airtight oint, packingin a seating 8 near the outer periphery of the diaphragm is interposed between the abutting surfaces. In Figure l the entire diaphragm is shown seated in a corrugation in the wall of a corrugated furnace but ob viously it can be fitted in a straight portion of the wallor in a plain cylindrical furnace.

It will be understood that the lining ring may be segmental and of considerable width so as to constitute a Substantial part of the surface of the entire diaphragm in which case it may be more accurately termed an inner supplementary assembly of segments as before mentioned. surfaces l: and 5 need not both be extensive as shown in Figures 1 and 2 but either of them might be reduced to the size of mere projections. The function of such projections may be satisfactorily performed by bolts securing edge plates together and to the adjacent edges of the diaphragm segments 2 and supplementary segments 3 as shown in Figures 3 and 4: and Figures 5 to 7, which will now be described.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 3 and 4: it is seen that I have provided segmental edge plates 9 secured together by bolts 10, the said plates forming grooves 6 into which the adjacent edges of the segments 2 and 3 fit whilst the bolts 10 serve the double purpose of securing the plates 9 and segments 2 and 3 together and operating as projections to coact with the cam surh loreover the canr.

faces a. It will be understood that if the segments 2 are slack an angular adjustment of the ed 'e plates and bolts 10 will cause the bolts to press upon the cam surfaces 4 and thereby spread the segments into close contact against the furnace wall.

Mounted on the ring by hinges 11 I have shown a door 12 having a central aperture in which is fitted the inwardlyconverging air delivery ring 13. It is to be noted that this ring through which entering air is delivered to the interior of the furnace is not U-shaped in cross section or lared inwardly and outwardly as is customary but is substantially straight in cross section and directed towarcs the furnace at such an angleto the conical flame from the burner that the area 1 exposed to intense heating unrelieved by the sweeping of entering air over it is a minimun'n My improved furnace diaphragm is applicable either to forced draft or to natural draft furnaces. tration I have shown the diaphragm in l igures 1 and as employed in conjunction with the usual] frame and front tire doors of a furnace front of the Howden type. I have shown mounted centrally in this front an oil burner tube and tip 15 surrounded by a tubular barrel 16 on which is mounted a flame cone 1? and main air deflector 18 all substantially as described in my prior British Patent No. 163273.

It is to be observed that the segments .3 are shown provided with broad feet l9 each segment hay ng one or more such feet to strengthen it and. facilitate its positioning during assembly.

in the constructional arrangement shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7 the entire furnace diaphragm comprises seventeen separable plates namely four cam-edged SQfilllQl'lfSQ, three supplementary segments 3, four back and four front lu'olqen-jointed edge plate segments 5) the vertically hinged door 12 (havin a circular ag xwlurevto which may be lixed the conical air delivery ring it) and the cover plate 20 on the lower part of I the door frame.

In order to facilitate the travel of the bolts 10 over the cam surfaces l each bolt may be provided with a short sleeve or loose ring 21 to minimize friction as shown clearly in Figure 7. v

The cover plate 20 is normally held in position by two catches lVhen this plate is removed the door 12 may be swung open about its vertical hinge thereby providing a conveniently large opening for entry of an engineer into the furnace.

It is seen in Figure 3 and also in Figures -i. and that an annular flange or ledge is fori ed near the periphery of the segments 2 for the purpose of seating a ri. of pa 1:

which prevents leakage of air past For the purpose l l U the diaphragm at its periphery. The edge plates 9 prevent leakage betwee11 the ad jacent curved edges of the segments 2 and 3. o a

In assembling the entire diaphragm as shown in Figures 3 or 5, the diaphragm segnents 2 are put in position, then the edge plates 9 are assembled and bolted together and are given an angular turn to spread the segments 2, then the nuts are slacl'zened to slightly open-the space between the edge plates, thentlie supplementary segments 3 are fitted by dropping their edges into the groove between the edge plates and then the bolts are tightened up again. i

That I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A furnace diaphragm, comprisingan annular assembly of segmental plates, and means co-operating with said assembly whereby relative angular movement between them causes said plates to spread radially outwards into close contact with the furnace wall. v

'2. A furnace diaphragm comprising an annular assembly of segmental plates and angularly adjustable means co-operating withthe internal periphery of said assembly to spread the segments thereof radially outwards.

3. A furnace diaphragm comprising, an annularassembly of segmental plates, and means whereby a spreadin effect is produced upon the segments or said assembly by a cam action thereon duringrelative angular adjustment between said means and said assembly.

4. A furnace diaphragm comprising an annular assembly of segmental plates, a lining ring to said assembly, and means whereby .an angular adjustment relatively to said assembly produces a radially spreading effect on the segments thereof.

5. A 't'urnace diaphragm comprising an annular assembly of segmental 1; plates, a segmental lining ring, and means whereby an angular adjustment relatively to said assembly produces a radially spreading effeet on the segments thereof.

6. A furnace diaphragm comprising an annular assembly of segmental plates, an inner supplementary plate, an annular edge plate covering the adjacent peripheries of said assembly and plate, and means interposed between said peripheries to hold said edge plate in position and serving by angular adjustment relatively to the assembly to spread the segments thereof radially outwards.

' wards.

8. A furnace-diaphragm comprising an edge plates-in position and serving by an-' gular adjustment relatively to the assembly to spreadthe segments thereof radiallyoutannular assembly of segmental plates, an

inner supplementary assembly of segments,

inner and outer annular edge plates covering the adjacent peripheries of the two assemblies bolts aassing between saidassem- 7 H' 0 bhes and holding the edge platesin position, and cam acting surfaces on the inner periphery of the outer assembly for co-operation with said bolts whereby angular friction sleeves on said bolts, andcam acting surfaces on the inner periphery of the outer assembly for co-operation with said bolts whereby angular movement of said bolts and edge plates effects a radial spreading of the segments of the outer assembly,

10. A furnace diaphragm comprising an annular assembly of segmental plates, means co-operating with said assembly whereby relative angular movement between them causes said plates to spread radiallyout; wards into close, contact with the furnace walls, and'means on said assembly adjacent its outer periphery to provide a seating for packing material between the, assembly and the furnace wall. i

11. A furnace diaphragm comprising an annular assembly of segmental plates, means co operating with said assembly whereby relative angular movement between them causes said plates to spread radially out wards into close contact with the furnace walls, and a circularul-ateral. flange adjacent the outer periphery of said assembly to retain packing material between the assembly and the furnace wall. I

12. A furnace diaphragm comprising an annular assembly of segmental plates, an inne r supplementary plate, annular edge plates covering the adjacent peripheries of said assembly and plate, means interposed between said peripheries to hold said edge plates in position and serving by angular adjustment relatively .to the assembly to spread the segments thereof radially outwards, and a. door attached to said inner plate.

13. A furnace diaphragm comprising an annular assembly of segmental plates, an inner supplementary plate, annular edge plates covering the ad acent peripheries of said assembly and plate, means interposed between said peripheries to hold said edge plates in position and serving by angular adjustment relatively to the assembly to spread the segments thereof radially outwards, and a door mounted on vertical hinges on said inner plate.

1%. A furnace diaphragm comprising an annular assembly of segmental plates, an inner supplementary plate, annular edge plates covering the adjacent peripheries of said assembly and plate, means interposed between said peripheries'to hold said edge plates in position and serving by angular adjustment relatively to the assembly to spread the segments thereof radially outwards, and an air deflector mounted in a central opening of the inner plate.

15. A, furnace diaphragm comprising an annular assembly of segmental plates, an

inner supplementary plate, annular edge plates covering the ad acent peripheries of said assembly and plate, means interposed I between said peripheries to hold said edge plates in position and serving by angular adjustment relatively to the assembly to spread the segments thereoi radially out wards, and an inwardly converging air deflector mounted in a central opening of the inner plate and formed substantially straight in cross section.

- 16. A furnace diaphragm comprising an annular assembly of segmental plates, an inner supplementary plate, annular edge plates covering the adjacent peripheries of said assembly and plate, means interposed between said peripheries to hold said edge plates in position and serving by angular adjustment relatively to the assembly to spread the segments thereof radially o'utplates covering the adjacent peripheries of said assembly and plates, means interposed between said peripheries to hold said edge plates in position and serving by angular adjustment relatively to the assembly to spread the segments thereof radially outwards, a door hinged on said inner plate, and an inwardly converging air deflector mounted in a central opening in said door.

18'. A furnace diaphragm comprising an annular assembly of segmental plates, an inner supplementary assembly of segments, annular edge plates covering the adjacent peripheries of said assemblies, bolts passing between said peripheries to hold said edge plates in position, cam surfaces on the inner periphery of the main assembly to co-operate with said bolts and cause a radial spreading of the segments of the assembly when the bolts and edge plates are angularly adjusted, a door vertically hinged on said inner assembly, an inwardly directed conical air deflector mounted in a central opening in said door, and a cover plate detachably mounted beneath said door.

DANIEL EMIL ERICKSON. 

